Can't get pedal off of the crank

[MattL]

I've got some new SPD pedals and shoes to put on my bike. With youthful(!) exhuberance and excitement I set about the task of changing them over. On removing (or trying to remove) the left pedal, it's stuck. I can virtually stand on the end of the spanner (and at 16st-odd that's a lot of force.) The pedal will not budge.

Has anyone got any tips or ideas of how to get the pedal off? Obviously I don't want to have to buy a new crank arm even though I've scratched the current one around the pedal joint to hell with an adjustable spanner which I thought would work.

Help!

 

[calibanzwei]

Turning the spanner in the correct direction? The way I remember it is they tighten themselves when cycling, so when removing you have to unscrew in the opposite direction...
...something along those lines, someone will come along and explain it better

 

[ianrauk]

calibanzwei is correct.
Check you are undoing the nut in the correct way. With the spanner at the top, undo towards the rear of the bike. (and mind your knuckles).
If you still have trouble. Take the pedal off and put in a vice if you have one. You will then be able to get more leverage with a spanner.

 

[tyred]

As mentioned, make sure you are turning in the correct direction first of all and then make sure your spanner is a good fit and hit it a few hard cracks with a hammer to shock it free.

 

[Davidc]

Putting it slightly differently the left pedal tightens anticlockwise and untightens clockwise when looked at from the end of the pedal. The right hand pedal is a standard thread, tightening cockwise and untightening anticlockwise.

A common way of remembering it is: "Right is right but left is wrong".

A useful addition to a toolkit is a piece of old steel gas pipe about 150 to 200mm long to fit over the ends of spanners, allen keys etc. to give extra leverage.

 

[Saddle bum]

Pedals: Left-hand on left. [Thread, that is]

BB cups: Left-hand on right.

Print off and pin on wall.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Only 16 stone? there's your problem. You need a couple more 16 stone mates to give you a lift before it'll undo

+1 for your knuckles.

 

[GrasB]

1) move cranks round so the pedal pointing towards the front of the bike
2) set spanner or allen key on the pedal
3) place foot on pedal if you have cleated pedals, wear a cycling shoe
4a) if you have the balance apply the rear brake firmly with one hand
4b) push down on the pedal with your leg & pull upwards with your hand

 

[Zoiders]

It's when it gets this much of a pain to get the pedal off that it pays to have a large engineering vice and a crank puller so you can work on it off the frame.

 

[fossyant]

Right is right (the right way -i,e, anti clock to undo)

Left is wrong (clockwise).

 

[fossyant]

If it still won't come undone, a garden hoe attached to the end of a large spanner works

 

[MattL]

WD40 is wonderful, wonderful stuff! Got a slightly smaller spanner and after a bit of brute force and a modicum of swearing, it loosened off!